Holostei (gars and bowfins) >
Lepisosteiformes (Gars) >
Lepisosteidae (Gars)
Etymology: Lepisosteus: Greek, lepis = scale + Greek, osteon = bone; bony sacled (Ref. 45335); osseus: From the word osseus, meaning bony (Ref. 10294).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal; pH range: 7.0 - 25.0; dH range: 10 - 15; depth range 0 - ? m (Ref. 55225), usually 0 - ? m (Ref. 55225). Subtropical; 12°C - 20°C (Ref. 2060); 48°N - 23°N, 99°W - 69°W (Ref. 55225)
North and Central America: Atlantic Slope from Delaware River in New Jersey to central Florisa; St. Lawrence River in Quebec through Great Lakes and Mississippi River basin to Red River (Hudson Bay basin), North Dakota, and south to Louisiana; Gulf Slope drainages from central Florida to Rio Grande drainage in Texas and Mexico.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 66.9 range ? - 80 cm
Max length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 17.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 22.8 kg (Ref. 4699); max. reported age: 36 years (Ref. 12193)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6 - 9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Long narrow snout. Olivaceous brown above and white below. Dark spots on median fins and on body (Ref. 37032). Scales ganoid: thin bony scutes on leading edges of unpaired fins, and on both edges of caudal fin (Ref. 4639).
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Adults occur in sluggish pools, backwaters and oxbows of medium to large rivers, and lakes (Ref. 10294). Usually found near vegetation. Occasionally found in brackish waters. Spawning occur in freshwater and possibly slightly brackish water (Ref. 4639). Migrate up rivers during the spawning season (Ref. 4639). Eggs and larvae are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 4639). Voracious predator, feeding on various fishes and crustaceans. The roe is poisonous.
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott, 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. (20):183 p. (Ref. 3814)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5781 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00126 (0.00061 - 0.00262), b=3.19 (2.99 - 3.39), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.2 ±0.73 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 9.5 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 2
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=3-6; tmax=36; Fec=1,110).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (63 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 36.9 [20.7, 68.2] mg/100g; Iron = 0.887 [0.535, 1.485] mg/100g; Protein = 18.7 [17.7, 19.6] %; Omega3 = 0.266 [0.160, 0.452] g/100g; Selenium = 48.4 [27.2, 91.1] μg/100g; VitaminA = 6.85 [2.62, 18.68] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.456 [0.333, 0.653] mg/100g (wet weight);
